Side broom position indicator



Nov. 21, 1967 D. R. PALMITER ETAL 3,353,199

SIDE BROOM POSITION INDICATOR Filed Oct. 16, 1964 2 Sheets- Sheet 1 :09 B/IO M w 48 C a F163 /7 |NV DONALD R. PALMITER EUGENE R.WILKENING TTORNEYS 1967 D. R. PALMITER ETAL 3,353,199

SIDE BROOM POSITION INDICATOR 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 16, 1964 INVENTOR S\J DONALD R. PALMITER EUGENE R. WILKENING wlfi' AT TO R EYS United States Patent 3,353,199 SIDE BROOM POSITION INDICATOR Donald R. Palmiter and Eugene R. Wilkening, Elgin, IlL,

assignors to Elgin Sweeper Company, Elgin, 111., a corporation of Delaware Filed Oct. 16, 1964, Ser. No. 404,454 1 Claim. (Cl. 87)

This invention relates to street sweepers. The invention further relates to a street sweeper of the type having a dirt hopper and one or more side brooms or brushes for sweeping litter from gutters or out of depressions in the road or from against walls into the path of the main transverse broom for deposition in the dirt hopper. The present invention is further directed to a new side broom position indicator.

The present invention is primarily concerned with a street sweeper having a new and improved control to permit the operator to know the precise position of the side broom relative to a road surface and/or relative to the sweeper body so that the operator can move the side broom into a proper adjusted sweeping position on a road surface. The present invention is further concerned with a new and improved control that enables the operator to return the side broom to its original sweeping position after the side broom has struck an obstacle whether the obstacle is a roadway depression or an abutment or a curb.

This invention is further concerned with a new combination between a side broom position indicator and a floating suspension for a side broom, which suspension will permit the broom to travel in an irregular path so as to be able to follow an irregular road contour and to effectively sweep the bottoms of depressions in the roadway as well as along the general level of the roadway without substantially affecting the operation of the machine.

In the past, the operator has not had any control system observable from the cab or operators station during the continuous running operation of the sweeper to enable the operator to properly adjust the position of the side broom.

In the past, where the side broom required adjustment, it previously has been necessary for the operator to stop the sweeper and climb out of the cab to make the adjustments. In the present invention, by providing a side broom position indicator control at the operators station, the side broom can be returned to its original sweeping position by reference to the side broom position indicator control after the broom has struck an obstacle of the type previously described without stopping the sweeper.

Accordingly, an important object of this invention is to provide a new side broom position control enabling the sweeper to be maintained in a more continuous sweeping operation without interruption even where the position of the side broom is altered due to its striking various types of road obstacles.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a floating suspension for a street sweeper side broom with a new and improved telltale control for assisting in the regulation of the vertical position of the street sweeper.

Yet another object is to provide an efiicient, effective and economical side broom position indicator control.

A further object is to provide a more eflicient system and mechanism for enabling continuous sweeping of roads without interruption.

According to more specific features of this invention, the street sweeper is provided with a body, an elevated operators station carried on the body, a control panel positioned at the operators station, a Side broom assembly carried on the body including a side broom disposed at one side of the body, means operable from the control panel for elevating and lowering the side broom, and side broom position indicator means mounted on the control panel and operatively connected to the side broom for indicating the relative vertical position of the side broom.

Other objects and features of this invention will more fully become apparent in view of the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings illustrating therein a single embodiment and in which:

0n the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is an enlarged front elevation of an instrument panel for a street sweeper;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged front View of a side boom position indicator;

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged fragmentary side view with parts in section and in elevation of a side broom on a street sweeper;

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged fragmentary side view of the side broom and the mechanism for vertically moving the same and with the indicator illustrated in full and dotted lines showing the manner of operation; and

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged fragmentary view of an end of the indicator cable illustrated in full and dotted lines to illustrate the manner of operation.

As shown on the drawings:

The reference numeral 10 designates a self-propelled street sweeper. The sweeper 10 includes a sweeper body 11 mounted on front and rear wheels 12 and has a dirt hopper 13 disposed at a forward end of the sweeper body, Mounted beneath the sweeper body is a main broom 14 which has dirt deflectors (not shown) disposed at opposite sides for directing the sweepings into the path of the main broom 14. Mounted forwardly of the main broom 14 is a conventional type conveyor 16 for transporting sweepings swept from the main broom to the dirt hopper 13. A side broom unit or assembly 17 is suspended from one side of the body 11 in a manner which will now be explained in further detail. The side broom assembly is disclosed in the Robert F. Schmidt and Henry A. Leidecker, US application entitled, Street Sweeping Machine, filed Aug. 6, 1964, Ser. No. 387,905. If desired, the side broom units can be disposed at both sides of the body to sweep dirt from gutters and the like into the path of the main broom.

A jack shaft 18 is driven by a power transfer unit (not shown). The jack shaft 18 serves to drive the main broom 14 through sprockets and a chain (not shown). A side broom arm 21 is provided with a sleeve 22 rotatably or pivotally mounted on a body sleeve 23 carried by sweeper side body plate 24 (FIGURE 4). The side broom arm 21 further includes a gear housing 25 disposed at an opposite end of the arm 21. The housing 25 is linked with the arm sleeve by a side broom chain guard 26 which includes a pair of spaced guard plates 26a26a. The side broom assembly 17, including side broom 28, is pivotally mounted by means of pivot pins or screws 2929 to a lower end of the gear housing 25. In order to drive the side broom 28, a drive is provided for coupling the side broom 28 with the jack shaft 18. This drive includes a sprocket 30 mounted on the jack shaft 18 coaxially within the arm and body bearing sleeves 22 and 23. A roller chain 31 is trained over the sprocket 30.

An input shaft 36 is supported on bearings (not shown) on confronting walls of the gear housing 25. Another sprocket (not shown) is housed within sprocket housing 27 and is attached to the input shaft 36 and the chain 31 is trained thereover. Also carried on the input shaft 36 is a pinion bevel gear (not shown) that is in mesh with a bevel gear (not shown) carried on a vertically extending output shaft (not here shown). The pivot gear housing 25 is pivotally mounted on the arm 21 by means of bearings 25', which may be of any suitable type, for permitting the side broom to pivot and swing back and forth in a longitudinal direction when the side broom strikes an abutment.

Positioned below the gear housing 25 is a pivot gear housing 43 and the output shaft (not shown) is supported by bearings (not shown) on the walls of the gear housing 25. A lowermost end of the output shaft extends into the pivot gear housing 25 and is pivoted by means of a universal joint (not shown) to drive shaft 47 comprising a component of the side broom assembly 17. A side broom sleeve housing 48 encases the drive shaft 47 and bearings (not shown) support the drive shaft 47 thereon. The bearings may be of any suitable type such'as roller bearings and suitable seals can be provided for protecting these bearings.

In order to permit the side broom assembly 17 to pivot in and out relative to the body plate 24, the side broom sleeve housing 48 is carried on the pivot gear housing 43 by means of the screws or pivot pins 29-29. The side broom 28 will, of course, swing in the same are as the drive shaft 47 as it is rotated. The side broom 28 includes a wire brush 28a carried on segments 54 bolted to a side broom disk 55. A drive hub 56 is suitably attachedto the disk 55 and to a lower end of the drive shaft 47. Spring means indicated generally at 57 is provided to permit the side broom unit 17 to move automatically in and out when an outside edge of the side broom 17 strikes a curb or the like forcing the side broom transversely toward the sweeper 10. The tension on the spring means can be adjusted by turning of the stop nut 59.

In order to provide fore and aft protection, means 65 (FIGURE 4) is provided to permit the broom 17 to automatically return to its preset position after the broom strikes an abutment during the forward travel of the sweeper 10. This means 65 permits the broom to ride up and over the fixed abutment and to return to its original position without any manual adjustment. The means 65 includes a piston rod 66 pivotally secured at 67 to the side plate of the sweeper 10. A cylinder 68 is mounted over the piston and a spring (not shown) is provided for urging the broom 17 in a forward direction.

When the broom 17 strikes a fixed abutment during its forward travel, the spring is compressed and the broom rides upwardly and over the abutment and then returns to its original position after passing over the abutment. The cylinder 68 is pivotally joined at 70 with the side broom unit and cooperates with the pivot 67 to permit the side broom arm 21 and the side broom unit 17 to move freely up and down. No manual adjustment is required to adjust the position of the side broom after an abutment has been struck. An anjustment nut 71 is provided on a threaded end 66a of the rod 66 to permit the spring tension to be adjusted.

A floating suspension is provided for the side broom arm 21 and for the side broom unit 17 so that when the side broom is lowered into a sweeping position, at least a portion of the side broom is supported on a cement or road surface S. By this construction, when the street sweeper travels over or adjacent to a road depression, the side broom unit 17 can freely move into the depression and out of the depression for effectively sweeping level as well as irregular road surfaces.

To this end, a second cylindrical arm 72 is pivotally mounted on an arm pivot 73 in parallel relation to the arm 21. Mounted within the cylindrical arm 72 is a threaded arm rod 74 which is joined at one end to a spring 75. The spring 75 is connected with a cable 77. The cable 77 is joined at one end 77a with the spring 75 and at an opposite end 77b with the first arm 21. This cable 77 is trained over an arm roller 76 that is journalled surface and can drop into any depression in the road surface for sweeping the same and then automatically moves out of the depression in continuing contact with the road surface without the necessity of any manual adjustment.

The tension of the spring 75 can be controlled to limit the'load of the wire broom on a ground surface by manipnlation of the adjustment nut 78. It will be perceived that the adjustment nut 78 is disposed exteriorly of the cylindrical arm 72 and is cooperable with an end surface thereof to maintain the spring in a longitudinally controlled position within the cylindrical arm 72.

Actuating means 79 is provided for suspending the parallel arms 21 and 72 in various controlled positions as determined by the operator in the cab of the sweeper. As illustrated, the actuating means comprises a hydraulic cylinder 80 and suitable controls 100 (FIGURE 1) are provided in the operators cab to permit the side broom 17 to be moved into and out of sweeping position. The cylinder 80 is pivotally connected at 81 to the body plate 24 in more or less parallel relation with respect to the second arm 72. The hydraulic cylinder is provided with a piston rod 80a that is pivotally joined at 82 to an extension 83 of the second arm 72.

Stroke control means 84 are provided for limiting the stroke of the hydraulic cylinder 80 so that the operators controls 100 can be operated in such a way that the side broom 17 can be moved into a given sweeping position or elevated into a given road travel position. The stroke control means 84 includes a threaded rod 85 that is pivotally .joined at 86 to one end of the extension 83. The threaded rod 85 is further carried on a guide 87 supported on the cylinder 80. An adjustment nut or stop 88 is adjustably positioned on the threaded rod 85 for coaction with the guide 87 to enable the side broom 17 to be positioned in a predetermined sweeping position. When the controls 100 for the hydraulic cylinder 80 are operated, the piston rod 80a can be operated to cause the second arm 72 to pivot on its pivot 73 for eifecting up and down movement .of the side broom 17 and of the arm 21. When the side tion, a chain 89 is provided for supporting the load of the side broom'17 and the arm 21 from the second arm 72 rather than on the spring 75 and on the cable 77. When the side broom 17 is moved into a sweeping position, the chain 89 becomes slack since the spring 75 and the cable 77 do not serve to support the load of the arm 21 and the side broom 17 on the arm 72. This chain 89- is connected at one end with the lower arm 21 and is connected at an opposite end with the upper arm 72.

A pair of arm guides 90 and 91 are suitably secured to the body plate 24 and an extension 92 of the arm 21 is engageable behind the arm guides 90 and 91 to insure that the arm 21 is pivoted and is moveable generally in a vertical plane.

By providing the suspension, above described, the side broom can be moved up and down in a straight line because of the parallelogrammatic action of the arms 21 and 72 and so that it is not necessary for the side broom to move up and down'in an arc. Where the side broom is moved up and down in an arc, a fixed relationship between the side broom wire and the pavement cannot be readily maintained.

The sweeper body 11 is further provided with an elevated operators station or cab 101 positioned rearwardly of the side broom 17. Mounted at the station 101 is a control panel 102 carrying the control for the hydraulic cylinder 72 for raising the side broom 17 into a road travel position and for lowering the side broom 17 into a gutter sweeping position as shown in FIGURES 3 and 4.

According to important features of this invention, a side broom position indicator 193 is mounted and suitably secured at 133:: on the control panel 1% at the operators station 101 for indicating the relative vertical position of the side broom so that control 180 can be operated to reposition the side broom in a given sweeping position after an obstacle has been struck either in the form of a curb causing inward movement of the side broom or in the form of a road depression or in the form of a fixed obstacle struck in the course of the forward or longitudinal movement of the sweeper.

The indicator includes a plate 1134 having a generally vertical slot 195 with indicia or gradations 1% of any suitable type along the sides of the plate. These gradations 1% are provided for indicating the position of the side broom and whether the side broom is in engagement with the road surface or the number of inches the side broom is disposed above road surface. Mounted within the slot is a pointer 187 that is joined with a wire 1&3 that is housed within a cable The cable 109 is supported on one end by means of a cable clamp 119 On the indicator plate 104. The opposite end 108a is operatively secured by means of a wire clamp 111 to the side broom 28 and suitably, in the illustrated form, to the piston rod 311:1. As the side broom 23 is elevated, the cable wire 11 33 is moved in the cable 169 to elevate the pointer 16? when the control 190 is operated to move the piston 80a into the cylinder 81) and when the control 109 is operated to move the piston 86a away from the cylinder 8%, the side broom 28 is lowered and the pointer 197 is caused to move downwardly in the slot to advise the operator of the position of the side broom with respect to the road surface S.

Although minor modifications might be suggested by those versed in the art, it should be understood that we Wish to embody within the scope of the patent warranted hereon, all such modifications as reasonably and properly come within the scope of our contribution to the art.

We claim as our invention:

In a street sweepin machine,

a sweeper body,

an elevated operators station carried on said body,

a control panel positioned at said operators station,

a side broom assembly carried on said body including a side broom disposed at one side of said body,

means operable from said control panel for elevating and lowering said side broom,

an arm pivotally mounted on said body and movable in an are,

means for rotating said side broom,

a floating suspension system suspending said assembly from said arm in a sweeping position enabling the side broom to be engaged against a surface to be swept and enabling the side broom to drop into road depressions to sweep level surfaces as well as depressions,

said means operable from said control panel being operable to pivot said arm in said are for raising and lowering said side broom into and out of sweeping position, and

side broom position indicator means mounted on said control panel and operatively connected to said side broom for indicating the relative vertical position of said side broom,

said indicator means including an indicator plate mounted at said station,

said plate having a slot, gradations disposed along the length of the slot, an indicator mounted in the slot, and a cable having a wire housed therein with the wire connected at one end to said indicator and connected at an opposite end to said arm for moving the indicator in the slot as the vertical position of the side broom is varied.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,488,968 4/1924 Wirt 23 -174 2,203,171 6/1940 Maltlnet. 2,236,814 4/1941 Evans 15-80 2,324,396 7/1943 Howell 116124 X 2,708,280 5/1955 Antos et a1. 15 s7 X 2,972,159 2/1961 Swanson et al. 15-87 X 3,233,349 2/1966 BSC'EOR 172 430 x FOREIGN PATENTS 575,086 4/1959 Canada.

695,207 8/1953 Great Britain.

577,411 5/1958 Italy.

CHARLES A. WILLMUTH, Primary Examiner.

E. L. ROBERTS, JR., S. BE CK, Assistant Examiners, 

